Night Terror
by AquaticSloth
Summary: During Seto's most recent and most stressful visit to San Francisco, he finds himself unable to escape from a rather transparent ploy initiated by Pegasus. OneShot. Toonshipping.


Night Terror

All the important business associates in the room stood after gathering the paper work and placing it into neat piles in their brief cases. They would get in their expensive cars, turn on their iTunes and drive to their modern homes and be with their families- be it their husbands, wives, or children. Even though there was a Kaiba Corp. USA in this country, there wasn't one in this state- so Seto had none of these things here. Usually he at least had a lonely, yet luxury hotel room but he'd been so exhausted recently he'd forgotten to get a room booked. The eleven hour flight time, the jet lag and the effort used to make the past meeting go smoothly had taken every ounce of energy from his body. He leaned back on the soft black chairs in the conference room, daring his eyes to close. He had too much to worry about to be sleeping. His company, that company, the next duel monsters tournament, theme park specials, how Mokuba was doing at home by himself- it was all flooding over the edges, as if some one hadn't turned off the faucet in his mind.

He just couldn't help it. He just had to close his eyes. Just for one minute. Just one….

There was a tapping on the open conference door, but Seto didn't move, if he moved it would delay sleep and he wanted only sleep to come and pull him into misty worlds where there was only peace. The tapping came again, and Seto found it impossible to ignore. He didn't open his eyes but he frowned against the bright florescent lights above.

"Hello, Kaiba-boy-"

_Oh no-_

"Well, well, I thought it was you. Sharp white suit, sour expression-" Pegasus grinned placing a hand in his pocket while leaning against the wooden frame "You look exhausted."

"Really?" Seto snapped sarcastically before pushing himself to his feet. He still felt groggy but to Pegasus he would always look like a stone statue, he had to keep it that way. "I should have known you'd just _happen_ to end up here. But, quite frankly Pegasus, I don't have time for your games, nor do I care. I have things to do."

"I'm sorry, I was on my way down from my own meeting when I just couldn't help but notice that you had almost dozed off right here in this office. You'd think with all your riches you could have at least purchased a small apartment downtown to stay at during your company excursions."

Seto grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair, threw it over an arm and stepped towards the door. What Pegasus had said was right, and it put him off, why hadn't he bought a small place to stay? Pegasus watched him; it had been only a few months since he had last seen him and Seto hadn't been thrilled to speak with him then either. To Pegasus though, Seto wasn't happy wherever he was, whatever he was doing at anytime. Seto hadn't changed much, the boy couldn't possibly get any taller, and his hair was still that intoxicating brown and eyes voraciously blue. However Pegasus did noticed how Seto was getting older, his facial structure, the scruffy hairs on his face appearing when he didn't have time to shave.

Seto didn't answer that last one, and Pegasus moved aside so the grumpy teen could stumble past. As he swaggered towards him, Pegasus couldn't help but grin.

"It's too bad you have to travel back and forth so much." Pegasus continued. There was something so magnetic about Seto Kaiba. He was infuriatingly apathetic and in an endless miserable mood but against his bad energy Pegasus couldn't help but know that deep, deep down in that concrete heart there had to be vulnerability and the need to be wanted. "Don't you ever have any time for yourself?"

"What I don't have is _time_ to shoot the breeze right now Pegasus." Seto grumbled "I have to get up early and back to Japan for another meeting."

"You don't even have a hotel room booked." Pegasus grinned at the look Seto gave him, and the boy was just about to open his mouth when Pegasus shrugged dramatically "and don't even ask how I know that. You do know the impossibility of getting a hotel room... on a Friday night... in San Francisco don't you?" Seto didn't answer, Pegasus went on. "Now, Kaiba-boy, you are aware that after I sold the mansion I moved into a four bedroom, split level, penthouse apartment in a very infamous part of the city-"

"I am not interested."

"Oh you're so cold, Seto. I ask you now, what use is an extravagant home like mine for only one gentleman?" Pegasus responded.

"I dunno, fill it with starving orphans-" Seto snapped as he started down the hall towards the elevators, from the sound of things- Pegasus wasn't far behind.

"What about this orphan." Pegasus crooned, poking Seto on the shoulder.

"I'm an adult, and I'm not starving." Seto snarled back, he totally set himself up for that one. And he was starving, deprived of being wanted, being needed.

Seto pushed the down button on the panel before Pegasus stood in front of the closed elevator doors ensuring that he'd be in Seto's sight. The lift was on the 40th floor, it would take a moment before reaching them. Seto hung his shoulders, to tired to fight with Pegasus, but too stubborn not to.

"Why do you _want_ me to stay with you?" Seto asked, making it sound as though Pegasus's invitation was in pursuit of perversion.

"Why, Seto-" Pegasus sighed in an epic fashion. "Please, my invitation is wholly innocent I assure you. You have assisted me in times of jeopardy. How callow it would be of me to not at least try to endeavour and repatriate your benevolence with inimitable conviction. I'd be such a cad, how jejune!"

Seto raised an eyebrow, knowing Pegasus was doing this on purpose. "Pegasus-"

"Oh come now don't be so petulant Kaiba. You might as well; I already have my car downstairs." Pegasus looked almost as though he'd stomp his feet and cross his arms and throw one of those silent treatment tantrums until he got what he wanted. He was a child- in a twenty seven year olds' body.

Seto pulled out his cell phone in hopes of calling his driver, but his phone had died during the meeting. Why didn't he notice that when it happened? Now that he'd thought about it, there were parts of the meeting he couldn't remember. Fuck, he was too tired to think about all this.

"Fine, whatever." Seto exhaled his entire life force, giving into Pegasus. He'd admitted defeated- he hated that.

Yes. He got him. Pegasus moved away from the elevator doors "Oh, excellent. I just had the second spare bedroom re decorated-"

"That's nice." Seto interrupted, letting his head drop and his eyes close as they stepped into the elevator, standing side by side.

The elevator music was soothing, and Pegasus had gone quiet now that'd he'd gotten his way. His eyes were fixed on the door, hands in his pockets. Seto tried to turn his eyes enough to look at Pegasus without turning his head. He didn't want to look him in the face. Seto shifted after glancing at Pegasus and fixed his sights on the doors. He felt slightly uncomfortable in the older man's presence- as if at any given moment Pegasus would turn and jump on him. Pegasus was a lot of things, but predictable wasn't one of them. Seto didn't like that. Pegasus was the one person he had trouble reading. Now, because of Seto's mistrust, there was a serious tension pooling around their ankles, constricting their bodies and it was rising as each second passed. Pegasus could feel Seto tensing up, his body drawing into itself as if he was trying to make himself as small as possible. He knew he made him nervous, it bothered him that Seto didn't really like him when he, Maximillion Pegasus, couldn't' _stop_ thinking of the young CEO. Just when the ride down couldn't last any longer the alarming ding brought them to their senses and to the ground level.

Outside, Pegasus opened the limo door for Seto and he crawled inside, his hands feeling the plush of black leather under them. Oh! He could collapse on these seats right now curl up and just sleep forever, but he sat upright, put his briefcase beside him and tilted his head back against the top of the seat and the tinted window. His eyes closed again and could hear Pegasus coming in, closing the door, tapping on the screen separating him and their driver before finally sitting across from Seto.

The drive was pleasant enough; Pegasus was still holding his tongue, giving Seto a chance to really let go- now that the tension had splashed out upon the elevator doors opening. He slouched as the drive started and could feel sleep slipping into him almost immediately.

The poor boy, all this work, all this responsibility at his young age... If only he'd let some one in- let some one help him, trust some one enough to depend on them. He should be out with his friends, going to see movies, pursuing interests, and girls of his age, like Pegasus did when he was young, or when he'd had fights with Cecelia. Seto didn't realise that he could have both his company and a life, a life of whatever he wanted.  
They were so similar and still so different, and the distance between them was continents apart, yet they were close, only feet away in the back of the limo. Seto was familiar, comforting to Pegasus. Pegasus liked that, he liked the old and the familiar, the comfortable routine. There were times where he was adventurous and spontaneous, but that part of Pegasus's life was ending while Seto's was just starting. Pegasus wasn't even close to what you would describe as 'old'; he could keep up with Seto easily. That frustrating boy, he could almost feel as though Seto was flustered in both his everyday life and his sexual one- If that even existed. This proving more so that Pegasus really knew nothing about Seto's life. Pegasus crossed his legs and looked at Seto, watching him. Admiring something comfortable, something magnetic, something he wanted- and it was there right in front of him he just couldn't _touch_ it. Seto flared his venereal desires, and angered him all at once that the only way to describe it was a want to _peel_ the snug clothes off every inch of that skinny, delicious and pale body and hurt him.

"Why are you staring at me?" Seto asked, he could feel his eyes- or, eye rather, on him. It made Seto feel warm, yet perturbed.

"Was I?" Pegasus replied quietly before turning his head away to glance out the window. "I didn't notice."

Seto brought his head up, looking at Pegasus in the dark as passing street lights illuminated his features, before dimming once again. He'd never heard Pegasus talk so softly before, that tone like a whisper sounded... loving. As if Pegasus would never do anything to bother him on purpose, because, well, he cared.

Seto leaned against the wall as Pegasus opened up the front door after another long elevator ride. This was it. No more thoughts. No more business. There was a bed in here and Seto was gonna sleep in it goddamnit. No more wondering why Pegasus had stared at him so long, why he invited him. Nothing. Sleep was the only thing. Each squeak of the hamster wheel running in his head was telling him so.

Seto was too drowsy to take in the beautiful and spacious home. He simply placed his briefcase down, kicked off his shoes, placed his jacket on the back of a couch and let Pegasus walk him to a spare room. Once inside Seto went for the buttons on his suit front, pulling the white blazer off his shoulders and letting the silken lining slide like metallic ooze off his arms. Next came the tie which landed on top of the blazer on a chair next to the dresser. Seto was too busy focusing on removing his clothes that he didn't hear Pegasus say goodnight. He unbuttoned his dress shirt and threw it on the chair as well- and when his hands went to the button on his dress pants- Pegasus shut the door.

Selfish of him to not close the door immediately, but Seto's quick hands had captured him in the moment. He leaned against the closed door for a moment, listening to the sound of Seto climbing into the bed and then silence. He'd never seen Seto's body before. His skin-tight turtle neck would leave enough to the imagination you'd think but this- this was something entirely that Pegasus would have never pictured. His ivory skin in the moonlight, his curved spine and shoulder blades casting delicious shadows and the way he stood, his slim hips and thin arms bare and pure. His long neck, thin shoulders- Pegasus was giving himself goose bumps. How could he think of Seto like this- he'd been married before- to a woman. A chapter Seto had never experienced in his own life.

He pushed off the door and walked straight across the hall to his own room, damning Seto Kaiba for being so beautiful, for torturing him, arousing him. There was nothing he could do but go to bed, and hopefully see Kaiba in the morning.

Pegasus awoke with a start, the sound of movement and a banging had pulled him from his dreams. He tossed his sheets and left his room to over look the living room. Yellow and pink neon street lights poured through the uncovered windows and they highlighted Seto as he stood grasping the handles as he pushed on the locked balcony door. Pegasus frowned and called his name before rushing down the steps, crossing the living room to grab hold of Seto's bare arms from the side.

"Seto!" Pegasus said alarmed at the fact that he wasn't responding. "Seto, look at me!"

The young man in his hands continued pulling at the door, breathing heavily before turning and breaking his contact with Pegasus. Seto looked around, his eyes darting unfocused. His movements were sporadic, darting from one place to another- as if something were chasing him. Pegasus realised as Seto started for the front door that the boy was not just sleep walking. Pegasus beat him to the door and grabbed hold of his shoulders, gripping him tightly.

"Seto," Pegasus said gently "You have to calm down. You're safe. I'm here. You can stop running."

Seto was looking at Pegasus, but looking through him at the same time. In his hands Pegasus could feel Seto begin to calm. His shoulders relaxed and his breathing slowed. Pegasus, rather shaken by his strange and sudden episode walked Seto back to the spare bedroom when Seto was ready. After closing the door behind him Pegasus watched Seto wander over to the bed pull up the sheets and return to sleep as if the event never occurred- the only evidence was the sweat on his brow.

Pegasus returned from the on-suit in the spare bedroom with a hand towel and went over to the side of the bed where Seto had gone back to sleep. Leaning over the beautiful teen, Pegasus smiled as he began to notice- when his hair wasn't in his face- he looked rather similar to Cecelia. The same round shape to their face, high cheekbones and slender noses, Seto even stole the very same azure jewels from Cecelia's eyes. In his heart he still loved Cecelia very much, but she was shifting as Pegasus thought more and more of Seto. Was this right? Could this be possible? Could Pegasus allow himself to love again- let himself love Seto Kaiba? It wouldn't be right to love him as a replacement for Cecelia, but Pegasus wasn't doing that. The two were complete opposites in personality, birthdays, living style. He acknowledged this and began to love him for his own stubborn pride and selfish principles. Pegasus brought the towel across Seto's forehead and watched as he shifted in his sleep, and turning so his hand covered the one Pegasus had on the bed. He smiled and placed the cloth on the night table before taking Seto's porcelain hand. He kissed his fingers gently as the teenager now slept soundly.

Pegasus whispered so softly he could barely hear himself. "I could love you... Seto Kaiba."

Placing his hand back down gently Pegasus walked around the bed and lay down beside Seto. He wouldn't stay; he'd just lay here for a little while and watch him. Watch sweet air enter his body with the rise and fall of his chest. He slept with the blankets tangled up around his thin legs, the corner of the duvet ended up being bunched up and used as a pillow instead of the fluffy ones given. Pegasus smiled, as he stared at him, wanting to run his fingers through his hair, wanting to pull his body into his own and hold him tightly, wanting to keep him safe and secure. He didn't do any of these things, he just watched.

"Could you ever... love me?"

The next morning Pegasus awoke at his kitchen table. The first thing he saw, other than the white from the brightness in the room, was the balcony doors decorated engagingly with sheer white curtains strung along the windows beside the terrace. Pegasus could smell coffee, and picked on the leftover scent of a hot shower as he raised his head from the table. He wiped at his eyes and sat up, his spine popping softly in three or four places. As a yawn was forced upon him, he scratched at his eyes and decided to get up, check the time and see if Seto had left yet.

But as Pegasus stood from his chair he noticed a slip of white paper with some black ink on it. He reached over and took it into his long fingers. Upon reading the art of his penmanship and the detail of his signature, the note read;

_Thanks,  
Seto Kaiba_.

He smiled.

End.

Epilogue

Seto had finally returned to his home office, and prepared for another gruelling business meeting in the main board room almost minutes after arriving. He tossed his briefcase onto a long, polished table and upon opening it he was taken aback at something he knew he never placed inside. A blank white envelope. He reached for it and held it up to his deep blue eyes. The envelope felt too heavy to contain just a letter and when his curiosity couldn't wait much longer he opened the unaddressed packet. He looked inside and found a small white note, one where at the top it said "From the desk of Maximillion Pegasus". He read it carefully, and was at first confused by his words.

_You'll always have a place to stay,  
Maximillion Pegasus._

Seto made a sort of 'hmm'-ing noise in his throat and then looked into the envelope again. He saw a silver key, sitting at the bottom of the envelope and catching light from the fluorescents above.

He smiled.


End file.
